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BRASÍLIA – The Ministry of Health's document released this week gives the green light to the purchase of electroshock devices for the unified health system (SUS) and reinforces the possibility of hospitalization Children in psychiatric hospitals. The text still preaches abstinence for the treatment of drug addicts.
With 32 pages, text on changes in the mental health, alcohol and other drugs policy of the portfolio still plays the leading role in risk reduction, adopted since at least 30 years in the country. chemical and its main purpose is the improvement of its state.
The building of the Ministry of Health of Brasilia
In the state the Minister of Health, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, said that he did not know the document. And when he heard the topics discussed, he added, "Without a doubt (the measures) are controversial."
"This is an unprecedented setback and an example of the preference for authoritarian interventions in this area," said Andrea Gallbadi, professor at the University of Brasilia (UnB). "In the document, abstinence becomes the focus and harm reduction appears camouflaged." Although designated as a resource for the treatment of patients with severe depression, electroconvulsive therapy has been badociated in the past with torture in patients and abuse by psychiatric hospital professionals.
Defense
The Co-ordinator General for Mental Health, Alcohol and Other Drugs of the Ministry of Health, Quirino Cordeiro – who signed the technical note – defended the focus on the treatment. The idea, according to him, is to guide SUS officials on mental health policy, which involves dealing with the use of electroconvulsive therapy.
The same reasoning applies to the hospitalization of children and adolescents in psychiatric hospitals. The coordinator believes that there are not enough beds in the country for mental health care. He says that children and adolescents can be hospitalized, but this is rarely done for lack of space. "It's there that we make a special mention."
The course of mental health policy in Brazil has changed in recent years. After intense efforts to reduce the number of hospitalizations of mentally ill patients, the policy is now reversed, with some sectors lobbying to increase the number of vacancies. In the document, the dossier criticizes the closure of psychiatric beds and underlines, among the necessary measures, the treatment of drug addicts in the therapeutic communities.
The measure is criticized by members of the dehospitalization movement, arguing that these institutions are poorly supervised and do not respect rights. "There is an oversight and abuse can be committed in all institutions," Cordeiro said.
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